FIFA’s 2026 World Cup is generating nearly $9 billion in revenue, a figure so large it rivals the GDP of small nations. And yet, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani argues the tournament produces “more than enough” income that fans shouldn’t be gouged on ticket prices.
Kraken steps onto the world stage
On June 9, 2026, FIFA announced Kraken as the Official Crypto Exchange Supporter of the World Cup. The deal positions the San Francisco-based exchange in front of the single largest recurring sporting audience on Earth, spanning North America and Europe.
This isn’t FIFA’s first dance with the crypto industry, either. Ahead of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the organization partnered with Algorand for FIFA+ Collect NFTs. The shift to Kraken as a headline crypto sponsor suggests FIFA is moving from experimental blockchain tie-ins to more commercially substantial exchange-level partnerships.
Fan tokens catch a tailwind
